Rangpur, Oct 6 (V7N) – Several sections of the Mahipur Bridge protection embankment in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur have collapsed following days of continuous rainfall and an onrush of upstream floodwater from the Teesta River. Around 40 meters of the embankment’s western side have caved in, creating a 50-foot-deep crater and putting the Teesta’s left-bank protection system at severe risk.

The collapse has placed the communication network between Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts in danger, along with five nearby villages located along the embankment. The affected areas include Nohali, Alambiditor, Laxitar, Kolkondo, Gajghanta, and portions of Mornaya Union, where thousands of residents are now stranded by rising waters.

At Dalia Point in Lalmonirhat, the Teesta River is flowing 35 centimeters above the danger level, forcing authorities to open all sluice gates. Floodwaters have submerged croplands, washed away fish from ponds, and severely damaged the livelihoods of farmers.

Despite the worsening situation, no immediate relief measures have yet been taken by the district administration. Attempts to contact the Water Development Board and district officials for comment were unsuccessful.

However, Gangachara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nazrul Mridha told Voice7 News over the phone that emergency relief efforts are being prepared. “By noon, the district administration will begin distributing dry food and other necessary aid to the affected people,” he said.

Residents of the flood-hit Teesta basin reiterated their long-standing demand for the quick implementation of the Teesta Master Plan, emphasizing that only a sustainable water management system can prevent such disasters in the future.

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